Friendship Set On Fire
by SweetestSerenade
Summary: If you could wait forever, how long would you wait to keep your soulmate safe? *Remione* *Soulmate AU/Fest Fic*
1. Chapter 1

Welcome!  
This fic was written for a fest with Hermione's Nook! (its a group on FB, y'all should check it out. They are full of wonderful, kind and supportive people!)

The Soulmate Troupe I was given is : HEA~ You do not age until you meet your soulmate.  
Outside of cussing and smut later on there is no warnings for this fic!

Thank you for spending your time with me!

* * *

"Unrequited love does not die;  
it's only beaten down to a secret place where it hides, curled and wounded. "  
Elle Newmark

If anyone would like a soundtrack to this story, visit this link:  
playlist/3noOmz6puprMvf6hvxOupo

**Chapter 1**

Smoke, grass and parchment.  
That's what Hogsmeade always smelled like to Hermione. Ron had always insisted that the alleyways smelt like sweets, but she was convinced he only smelled the sugar due to his constant state of hunger. She laughed lightly to herself as she realised his empty pit of a stomach was now Lavender's problem.

"Stop being bitter." she said lightly, chastising herself as she continued walking towards her destination.

It was not Ron's fault that Hermione was not his soulmate; just as it was not Lavender's fault that she was. Such was the choice of fate. She and Ron had both known going down this romantic road that they were not made for each other. This ache she was feeling was all due to their choices.

The choices they had both made during the war to survive the feeling of loneliness.  
The choice to trick themselves that they were okay with being placed in danger. The choice to live a life without their soulmates. Those choices helped most days, as she could pretend that fate was wrong and Ron was who she was made for, that the comfort they sought in one another's arms - or beds - was right. Or at least she could, before Ron ran into Lavender on his first day out of Auror training.

_Everything clicked_, he told her as he sat on the barstool of her kitchen nook. In a way that it hadn't clicked during their years together at Hogwarts. He had always known of her but he had never taken the time to _talk_ to her.

"'Mione. Damnit, she felt like coming home." he had said, his voice was full of anguish.

Not for her, or her feelings, but for the fact that the years of waiting could've been avoided if he hadn't avoided any and everything Hogwarts related after the war.

Lavender had gone back to their beloved school for her eighth year and Ron went straight into training. He had never wanted to step foot on that battlefield again.  
However, even knowing that Lavender had gone back to Hogwarts, he did not wish he had made different choices that kept the Wizarding and Muggle worlds safe. Safe because of the sacrifices everyone had made but because of those choices… Well, Ron wasn't the only person who avoided the scene of multiple deaths. He still held anger towards all of that wasted time. Waisted death.

Hermione understood.

For all that it was worth, she was very proud of the man who had sat across from her at that time. She was certain he had used all of his Gryffindor strength to show up at her doorstep knowing that she was expecting pleasant conversation over a batch of pancakes and then possibly a mid-morning romp to start the day. Alas, there was no such happy ending at the end of that conversation, at least not for her.

Despite the sting in her chest - that came with knowing that once he stepped outside of her door she would be alone with the weight of having not yet met her perfect match, which would then weigh heavier on her soul; She still recognised they were having a pleasant conversation; and oh, how happy she was for her friend.

She still remembers the warmth of her magic as she acknowledged that she was back on the search for her soul mate. That she had been biding her time and now she had to discard the security that Ron had been for her. It was almost as if the fates were reminding her that she would be okay someday.

Reaching over the countertop she had grasped his hand, "You deserve this. I'm so grateful you found her."

At the time, she had meant every word.

This was six months ago.

* * *

The beta for this fic Chapters 1-4 is the lovely ArielSakura!  
Thank you so much babes for working this into your schedule. You're a queen.  
Everyone go read her stories! They are lovely (& full of slash goodness)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The crunch of the gravel underneath her boots brought her mind back to her current task, which was heading towards the boutique that had opened earlier this year. Hermione was certain that she would find a wedding present Lavender would love inside. In the muggle world, people would assume there was a back-handed reason for such a quick marriage. However, in the wizarding equivalent, when you could go actual centuries before meeting your soulmate, long engagements were frowned upon. Why wait?

Goddess knows she wouldn't. If it ever happened.

Centuries.

Literal Centuries.

According to the books she's read on the subject, 453 years was the longest amount of time it has taken for someone to find their mate. However, there had to have been longer amounts of time, logically thinking. There are so many people in the world and as proven with Andromeda Black, your soulmate did not necessarily have to be from the wizarding community.

Frankly, she shouldn't be so morose about the situation. She had only been nineteen for four years, making her current age twenty-three. Four years couldn't compare to the length of time in the stories of others, known or unknown. It was just that… they could be anywhere. That truth is what made the whole situation so nerve-racking for her.

Hermione didn't enjoy the unknown. She enjoyed clear facts so that she could understand and prepare for what was to come. Which is why, ever since she first found out about this little clause that came with inheriting your magic, she had dedicated her time to research.

She was attending her first week at Hogwarts when she found out exactly what was going on. She had noticed that something was out of the norm when she ventured through Hogsmeade Village gathering her school supplies. Which to be fair, everything was abnormal compared to her upbringing with being muggle. She was certain however, that no matter which world she was in it was still uncommon for teenagers to be shop owners or authors. Not everyone was young, as there were quite a few adults around however, there were enough young folk in a position of worth to take notice.

She really knew something suspicious was going on once she arrived at Hogwarts and her potions Professor was not only handsome, but also a teenager. At first she assumed he was the teachers assistant, but there was no mistaking his tone for anything less than authoritative. That classroom belonged to him.

Hermione didn't want to be rude and ask Professor Snape about his age directly so she did the next best thing, she asked Professor Mcgonnegal, who was not as elderly as she imagined she would have been for how smart she was, but she was also clearly not a youth.

Professor Mcgonnegal would've been happy to explain the phenomenon that was finding one's soulmate, but having already known about Hermione's eagerness to learn she instead showed her to the section in the library which held but a small selection of text for her to browse on the subject.

"It isn't much," the woman explained, "Most books on the subject have been written by prominent families and handed down to their heirs as they grew." she paused and the professors face grew distant. "What we have here are texts who did not have an heir to go to. Whether their authors passed on without children or someone simply hasn't found their other half. The previous owners kindly donated them to Hogwarts for young students who had curiosities such as yours."

Needless to say, Hermione checked out as many books that she could and devoured them in her room, hidden by the curtains around her bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

What Hermione gathered from her research was… not a lot. Understanding the occurrence of soulmates wasn't something she could have learned completely from a book. As such, she picked up most of her information from her fellow students and experiences.

The origin of soulmate magic was unknown, it had simply always been this way.

When one comes into their magic they only have a piece. The other half of their magic belongs with someone else. A soulmate is whomever the fates deem to be your soulmate and they will wait their whole life just to find you, and when you meet they will complete you. Of course, when there are witches and wizards finding their other halves in the muggle world, there were bound to be tales of the wonder. In this case the Muggles call the phenomenon, 'finding your twin flame'.

Your soul is unable to claim it's mate until you both reach the age of consent, which according to your magic, is nineteen. After which you can meet your soulmate at any given time and connect. The moments of mates meeting for the first time is, supposedly, the stuff of movies and romance novels. The stories can sometimes be a little hard to stomach or believe, especially if you are reading the soulmate column in The Daily Prophet, but they are always romantic- Your soul just knows.

The catch? You stay nineteen until you both meet.

That little spark of recognition kick-starts your cells and you start aging normally, only now, alongside your other half. Hermione felt that age to be a little young, but her opinion wouldn't change the facts.

When Hermione first found this out she thought it was wonderful, you would never miss out on the other. You also wouldn't have to worry about meeting someone much older than you. Age has never been an issue for her, but she always wondered if her match would feel differently. She wouldn't want them to worry about such nonsense.

She very quickly came to disagree with her opinion on the subject however, when she overheard the remarks being made about Professor Snape one day.

"Poor Severus, who knows how long he'll have to wait?-" and "-He may stay young forever."

No-one mentioned how brilliant he was at potions, or the role he had in the war, it was always having to do with his age and his lack of a mate. How awful it must be to put in so much work and accomplish so many amazing things only for no-one to acknowledge one's greatness. Pity was something Hermione had no taste for, and she could only imagine how bitter it tasted to him. She assumed that was why after the War, he left to move to the village of Ottery St Catchpole. No-one had heard from him since. She hoped he found peace, if not, at least his mate.

The worry that one would be known for their lack of luck instead of their achievements scratched at her subconscious often whilst she was working on a project or two. She did not work to satisfy a need for acknowledgment, but it was always nice to be recognised for something more than who you're destined for.

There was one more flaw to this soulmate bond, in Hermione's opinion. On your quest to find the 'one' you would never die and neither would they, which is a plus. After though? After was another story.

Soulmate magic was just like any other part of magic, it is not perfect. You live forever to meet your person only to lose them at some point. In some instances, they would pass on together, as was the case for the late Potters.

In other cases, the remaining partner had to carry on without the other, which Hermione later learned was the case for Professor Mcgonnegal. The same had happened for Padma Patil, who was Fred Weasley's soulmate. That memory hurt the most.

The couple only had a year together with the knowledge that they were each other's match. Hermione noted with irony that it made sense for the only twins in Hogwarts to match with each other. They were lucky, having had been friends for so long that when Padma and Parvati finally turned nineteen, they did not have to wait long to find out the pranksters belonged to them.

Parvati always said that she had a hunch, although everyone knows that there is no way to know who you're meant to be with even if you're a Seer. Rumor has it Padma moved in with George and Pavarti. Hopefully, being with them brought her peace from a great loss Hermione herself hoped never to feel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"_Thats new_" Hermione noted as she walked into the Boutique and heard a small chiming sound. Pansy must have added a notice-me charm to the door to alert the staff of customers. As she walked around she noticed a bunch of new updates, she hadn't realised how long it had been since she had been here last. The place seemed almost… welcoming, which was unusual for _The Common Room_ as the Boutique was usually resemblant of a dungeon.

The new interior was classy but homey at the same time, more closely resembling the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione started to feel uneasy about what has been going through the young shop owners head to do something so out of character.

"Whoever it is we're not open!" there she was, that was the Pansy she knew.

"Mi! Mi!"

"Albus! You're walking!" Hermione was filled with pride as she crouched down to the young boy tripping his way towards her from his spot behind the counter.

Now she was absolutely convinced some time had passed since she had last seen them; at fourteen months the toddler was bound to have started attempting to walk, she was simply caught off guard as she had last seen him crawling.

"HERMIONE JEAN!"

"Uh oh" Hermione had a worried look on her face, pretending to be afraid in front of the young boy. "I'm in trouble"

Albus giggled, "Mum Mad"

"Let us get this over with," she teased, her hands reaching under Albus to lift him as she stood.

Walking over to go behind the counter and into the door that lead into Pansy's office she prepared herself for the lecture she was no doubt about to receive.

Hermione peeked her head into the office. "Knock Knock"

"Ck, Ck"

The small twitch of Pansy's lips indicated that she was not as mad as she seemed, the light mocking of her child towards his Godmother warming her up a bit.

"Where have you been?"

"Where I always am."

Pansy fixed Hermione with a stare, "You're always at the Library or Work. Do you not make time for a personal life?"

Pansy was stressed, she could tell. Her desk was covered with invoices and her hair was a mess. Something was wrong, Pansy was a lot of things but unkempt was never one of them. Genuinely worried and not wanting to disclose her where-a-bouts she decided some girl talk was necessary.

Hermione set the young boy on the floor who quickly waddled over the corner where his toys had been placed. Once he was occupied she slid into the chair across from this girl she had come to view as a close friend and fixed her attention towards her.

"Pans. What's going on?"

She sighed, took a breath and looked at her.

"Everything's fine,-" after a pause and Hermione's cocked eyebrow,

"-Don't give me that look. Everything is fine!"

Another brief moment of silence passed as Hermione pursed her lips.

"Listen it isn't anything out of the ordinary. Harrys been assigned another task out of the country and it has me a bit worried. I don't like him away from me. You'll understand one day."

She leaned back in her chair and nodded, accepting that to be a sufficient answer. It definitely explained the Gryffindor colors in the front room. The couple had been inseparable since the day Pansy and Harry ran into each other again. The Banquet for their Order of Merlins was being held at the Ministry and it was right after his birthday. Harry had to practically be dragged there as he did not want to be given an award for something he always felt he did not have a choice in.

To this day he says he owes Hermione for convincing him to go. Once the awards were handed out, in an attempt to end the night as quickly as humanly possible, he started making the rounds. Mr. Parkinson walked up and shook his hand - probably thinking of the quickest way to move towards the next person and more importantly, the exit.

Except the next person he met was Pansy and once he and Pansy were reintroduced, he was smitten. They were married within the year, with Albus following soon after. Despite her hard facade Pansy was always worried when he went on assignments but her worries progressed once Albus was born.

"I'm sure I will" the answer came out as more of an exasperated sigh.

She was growing weary with the comments of how life would be once she found her mate. She wasn't trying to be bitter and resentful towards her friends, it was a little tiresome however with people insinuating that her life was less than theirs because they were a few steps ahead of her in some areas. It will happen when it happens, she hoped. For now, she was happy basking in their glow.

"Are you even going to ask me why I am here?" distracting Pansy was going to be easy.

If there was one person in the world who irritated her more than Ron, it was Lavender. Seeing as Ron was Harry's best friend, she was obligated to at minimum tolerate the couple.

"You need to update your lingerie?"

"Well, yes, but no. I am in need of a wedding gift for Lavender."

Pansy scrunched her nose in distaste before a wicked grin settled on her lips. "I have the perfect thing."

As they say, snakes may shed their skin, but they never lose their color.

Two hours later Hermione walked out of the shop with not only a promise to both Pansy and Albus that she would visit for dinner soon, with or without Harry, but also one beautifully made glass anal-plug with the side effect charm of whoever it was inside not being allowed to cum. She didn't know if this was the type of gift to be given for a wedding but she was sure the couple would get a kick out of it.

She was fairly knowledgeable about Ron's kinks afterall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapters Five - Thirteen are un-beta'd. If anyone notices a issue please let me know! Thank you xo**

**Chapter Five**

He was watching her again, she felt it. It was true that she hadn't gone by the boutique or Harry's abode recently, but that didn't mean she wasn't on the same street frequently enough.

She wasn't quite sure what it was about this place. It was a book store although honestly it was more like a library now-a-days with how many people just lounged about with a good book; and it was also a bar. Aptly named 'The Book Bar'. Hermione had rolled her eyes at the originality the first time she found it. She had stumbled in here by accident trying to escape the rain and horrible work day, and instantly became infatuated with the look of the place.

The dark hardwood floors were accented by the exposed-stone walls which were draped lovingly in scarlet red tapestries. Although the color scheme was in the same family as Gryffindor, there were numerous dark shades splattered throughout the establishment that made it feel like it belonged to every house. On one side, there were countless bookshelves, which were made possible by an extension charm she was sure. The other side housed a bar which looked to be made out of wood and brick, obviously crafted by hand.

'Whoever built that must have a lot of time to himself' she thought as she maneuvered her way towards the perfect chair that was calling her name.

The chair was sapphire blue with enough space to occupy two if she was interested, which she wasn't. The best part of the chair was the placement as it was settled comfortably between the wall, a window and was occupied by only enough light so the person seated there could read but not be seen. Actually, she thought as she looked around, it seemed as if all of the chairs were that way, having been modified with a concealment charm so the readers would not be disturbed. She suddenly felt at peace with this place, almost she thought coyly to herself as if this business was her soulmate instead of another person. It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knew of her and her love for books.

Thus, from that moment on she made a point to come here once a week at minimum. The week when things finally fizzled out between her and Ron? She was here everyday.

Her visits here began as a way to distract herself from the memories at home, she had read everything in her personal library a few times anyways. She started coming here more when the books began to act as some kind of bandage for the ache in her soul. There were some days she would find herself so absorbed in the atmosphere of the establishment where she forgot the thought of soulmates entirely. In those moments she only felt content warmth and a pair of eyes.

She could not tell you who those eyes belonged to, nor what they looked like.

As if her body was recognising something it had long ago forgotten, she imagined them to be the color of honey and ash. No, they were the color of moss. Hermione shook her head, the whole act of her imagining a pair of eyes on her person was silly!

She was concealed, unknown from the patrons around her. Aside from the concealment charm she was used to being stared at, she was the brightest witch of her age for goodness sake.

A pair of eyes on her never gave her this kind of ... discomfort.

The feeling would fester deep inside of her belly until it bubbled upwards causing her eyes to jump forward to the realisation that there was no one there. No one except the barkeep that is. Which it certainly wasn't him. He never even gave her direct eye contact for Merlin's sake. Which was a shame, she thought. He was quite the specimen.

His hair was long and thick almost as if it was a winter coat, not as unruly as her own but it held a certain type of wildness that sparked desire in her. He had a beard, of course he had a beard. There was no way a man who had such a primal aura about him wouldn't have one. He was built like a redwood, tall enough that she would never have an issue picking him out of a crowd, if she was looking for him. The way he moved around the bar was graceful, as if his poise held more than familiarity for his surroundings. He was always aware of every movement in this building. She had never seen him smile, but imagined him to have a dimple if he were to. He seemed as if he were the kind of man who was just as kind as he was tough, hardworking. He always spoke kindly to his bar guests, and she never could never catch him being idle.

He always performed his duties without magic, as if he had all the time in the world. Unloading bottles of firewhisky, filling the shelves, unscrewing jars….that particular task was her favorite. She loved watching him work. His hands were just like every other part of him, large and demanded attention. As she studied him daydreams of what he could do with those hands plagued her thoughts.

If she had to pinpoint the day her very minor obsession with him began, it was the same day she wandered into the homey establishment. She had been curled up in the chair, with a book that had been in her purse the past week. By the time she had pulled herself out of her chapter-induced stupor the storm had subsided, there was a fresh log on the fireplace and a delicious smelling hot-toddy on the coffee table beside her. She hadn't ordered this, had she? She looked up only to be met by the site of the bartenders backside.

Well, hello.

Hermione never believed herself to be the kind of woman who chose her object of affection based on appearances, but if she was going to become one this was the man to kick-start that side of her.

She quickly shook that idea from her brain. In no way was she going to start a liaison with another person who was not her soulmate again. As much as a quickie behind the bar, on top of the bar, or maybe even between the stacks appealed to her, it was not worth the discomfort she would have to muddle through once it ended. Because they would always end, she was not meant for them.

'But..' thought Hermione, 'if I could only talk to him. He could be.'

There was a heavy silence in the air around her as if that thought held some kind of truth to it, although she had not voiced the desire out loud. "No" Hermione chuckled quietly to herself "that would be too easy.'

If there was one thing Hermione knew deep in her soul about its mate, there was no way it was going to be easy.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapters Five - Thirteen are un-beta'd. If anyone notices a issue please let me know! Thank you xo**

**Chapter 6 - Remus**

This wasn't fucking easy and it wasn't fucking fair. He was fine. He had _been _fine.  
He made this promise to himself and to her, years ago and by Merlin he was going to fucking keep it.

That's what he kept telling himself as he kept his back towards her, cleaning a glass. He always kept his back to her, if he could. When she was in his line of vision it was hard to resist his ...urge, his longing that had been bottled inside of him since he met her fifteen years ago. It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life.

He had been on this earth for thirty-eight years, but you couldn't tell by the way his body was stuck at nineteen. As he grew older his young boy looks irritated him as it was just another reason for the world to look at him with pity. He hated being pitied, but pity alongside looking young came hand in hand with his lycanthropy. According to his father, wizards with his condition didn't age at the same rate as everyone else to begin with. Sprinkle in some soulmate magic or whatever bullshit the wizarding world wanted to label this phenomena and he never expected to know what he was supposed to look like at his true age.

When Remus was a young boy before his parents passed, his father explained to him what would happen to him with every full moon and his mother told him fairytales of the 'magical' moment when he met the one witch or wizard made for him. If his mother had been alive years ago when he made that deal with Severus, she would've smacked him upside the head years ago, just as she would now knowing he saw her and chose not to say anything. He swore every time someone made a comment about his poor luck on having not met his soulmate yet he could feel his mother's glare directed right at him.

He was used to keeping his distance, though. It had been fifteen years and the thought of how quickly time passed caused him to pause. Fifteen years, damn.  
When he built this establishment years ago he meant for it to be a distraction and he ended up building a sanctuary for himself. If he was being honest, he built this place for her also. He never purposely went out of his way to make this be a home for her but he also didn't go out of his way to make it unwelcoming.

He made sure he stocked her favorite whisky, which happened to be a popular whisky so his patrons would also be happy. He had all of her favorite authors, which to be fair she loved a bunch of different authors. He could not have a well-stocked bookshop without running into a few of them. So in a way, he was simply catering to his patrons.

The mild concealment charm he had on the chairs shielding the readers from view, which seemed like a good idea when he placed them, allowing the reader to truly relax without worrying about being seen and photographed or judged for their book choice; yet also allowed certain areas to be seen so if they needed one of the staffs attention they would easily receive service.

Certain areas that were driving him mad, now. He hadn't known that she would be showing up in those bloody pencil skirts day after day, her milky skin contrasting beautifully against the deep saphire of that chair. Fuck, he had to remind himself to thank Severus for gifting that chair to him.

The thought of his long time friend caused him to smile. It was an unconventional friendship, that was true. No one expected them to be friends considering their history. However it was their annoyance of being judged as inferior for having not yet met their soulmate, in addition to their previous friends having died early on, that caused them to lean on each other. After Hermione, their bond was sealed.

'I can do this' Remus reminded himself as he finished unloading the clean drinkware and organising them into their designated spots on the bar. He just needed to keep busy. She would leave soon, once she reached a spot in the book where she could look up and notice the darkness outside.

The bar always felt colder once she left, his wolf angry with him for letting him leave.

Remus has had this conversation with Mooney multiple times however, when it came to her safety this was for the best. He had spent years warring with himself whether what had happened, the choice he had made, was best for them, for her. He should have never allowed himself to get as close to her as he had, but he lacked the self control he had now back then.

'Its okay, Mooney' he told his inner wolf, 'we will have her back soon.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapters Five - Thirteen are un-beta'd. If anyone notices a issue please let me know! Thank you xo**

**Remus**

**2005, Hogwarts**

"These children should be fed sanity potions with their morning meal."

Remus didn't even bother looking up from the book he was reading at his spot on the settee' in his colleagues office. This was the usual routine. Snape came in complaining about the students, he ate his sandwich and countered with a quote on what made teaching worth it, which in turn caused the other professor telling him to shove it. He would laugh, continue eating and go about his lunch period. Albeit he usually flooed home once they had finished their meal, and this time he would be returning to a classroom. There was something about his demeanor today though, Remus could tell something was bothering his friend more than usual.

"It's the first day Severus, they'll begin to focus sooner or later" He looked up from the book he had been reading and glanced at his colleague. Remus was met with the site of his friend, a grim look making him look much older than he should. His friend had been progressively getting more morose throughout the years as his burden of working for The Order grew heavier.

"I only hope their focus improves when it comes to them defending their lives" The young professor sat down at his desk, his cloak billowing around him as he did. He did not respond, the heaviness of the years to come hanging silently in the air between them.

"How's your first day going?" The abrupt change in subject was welcomed as Remus leaned back into the settee, closing his book to focus on Severus.  
"As well as it can be. This place feels so familiar and foriegn at the same time."

He had been gone for quite some time, living in a remote cottage surrounded by a large wooded area. He preferred himself away from others, where he could transition without worry. He had been chopping wood when Albus suddenly appeared, offering him a position as the Professor of Ancient Runes. To this day he could not tell what made him agree. Maybe the headmasters promise of monthly supplies of wolfsbane being a part of his pay, maybe something more.

The day had gone well as he had taken the morning to walk the grounds and re-familiarize himself with the land before he taught his first class this afternoon.

It was to be Fifth Years, easy enough he presumed. He started to tell his friend this and as their conversation continued along he began to notice Severus's voice moving slowly into the foreground of his mind.

Almost as if Snape was walking away from him and the presence of someone else was taking his place.  
The scent of honey suckles and something sweet, musky like an old book wafted into his consciousness. The smell was familiar as it was a smell that he often noticed when he visited the grounds these past few years. Although it caught his attention, the scent was always stale as if the reason for the smell was long gone.

Now it was fresh, it had his attention and more urgently the smell had caught his wolf's attention. **_Mate_**

He blinked his eyes open, having not realised they were closed as he drank in the scent that felt as if it was intoxicating his entire being.

"Mate?" Severus's voice was laced with amusement "You never call me Mate."

"Mate" Remus repeated, this time the term coming in the form of a growl. He looked over at his friend for a moment, a pregnant silence hanging in the air.

His eyes were the color of molten honey, gold tendrils dancing among the irises. His usual mossy green eyes were gone and Severus realised quite quickly what he was saying. The Professor jumped to his feet when a knock vibrated through the door.

"Professor Snape?"

Her voice was like silk, the crack in her voice reminding him of crackling wood, the warmth trailing over his skin as he focused all of his attention on her.

"No." Snape was firm, walking towards his friend trying to subdue him. "This is a student, Remus. She might be your mate but she is a student. You have to be fair to her." He was trying to appeal to his logic but logic wasn't his wolf's strong suit; that was Remus's territory.

The girl behind the door knocked once more, before her scent started to retreat. Remus growled, heading towards the door in search of her.

"No" Severus reiterated his earlier statement, aiming his wand to cast a quick binding spell on the door. "You need to calm your wolf, Remus. That student is not just any student."


	8. Chapter 8

**December 2005, Remus**

Remus resigned that day.

After he had calmed Mooney and spoke with Snape, who informed her of his mates name.. _Hermione_, he went straight to Albus's office and explained what had happened.

She was his. His morals wouldn't allow him to become her teacher, therefore putting his mate in a tough position.

He couldn't leave, however. He refused to. Albus allowed him to move into a cabin near the Whomping Willow, understanding the young man's need to be near his mate. After learning who she was, he appreciated having the extra set of eyes on her.

If Remus was watching her, in a way he would also be watching Harry who Albus needed safe most of all. That's exactly what Remus did. He watched her.

Once he left Albus he went straight to where Severus said she would be. Which is where he found himself, first laying eyes on her in the library. Her hair was a wild bundle of curls, the ends of her hair sparkling with uncontrolled magic. She was young, he knew as the fifth year students were only sixteen.

That meant he had three years until she recognised herself as his mate.

He wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to introduce himself right now as this feeling of needing to be close to her was so new he wasn't quite sure his wolf would not force himself from beneath his skin, running over to her and bending her over, marking her in front of the world. Merlin, that would be embarrassing for him, if not traumatic for her he was sure. No, he would wait.

He waited, and he watched, for months. He was always in the shadows, keeping a close eye on her. She loved to read and she loved to be outdoors.

He would watch the light from the sun or the moon dance over her skin when she would walk the path around the lake. He knew her magic sparked on her hair when she was reading as if all of her focus on keeping her magic calm went away when she became enthralled in a new book.

He knew she was close to her two friends, it was obvious how much she cared for them.  
She was moody and swotty and quite frankly, a bit of a know it all. Her faults seemed to amuse him instead of deter him however, as she intrigued him profoundly. The days he was near her were never enough. The hours passed quickly but also wore on his patience as he needed to know her, to touch her, to hear her voice.

That thought was on his mind one day as he watched her reach for a book on the top shelf. He knew she knew the levitation spell to bring the book to her quickly, she's used it plenty of times before.

For some unknown reason today she was insistent on doing things the muggle way. A low growl came from his throat as he watched her place her foot on the bottom of the shelf, obviously intending to pull herself up to reach it.

Why she was constantly putting herself in dangerous positions, although this specific action was mild compared to the tasks she attempted, always perplexed him.

He saw her body begin to tilt and before he knew it he had moved. His right arm sat on the small of her back, firm and centering while his left hand grabbed the book she had been reaching for.

"Excuse me?" Her voice filled his senses as he began to process what had actually happened. "What are you doing?"

Her voice wasn't angry, he would even say that there was a hint of amusement to her question. The answer was obvious, "you were falling"

Her responding laugh was the loveliest sound to him. If he thought her voice was melodic her laugh was in a league of its own, he wanted more. "I'm not a piece of fruit you know, I won't bruise from a minor misstep."

"I'm surprised you have any skin left to bruise with the trouble you get into" Fuck, he shouldn't have said that. She was going to run away like a scared bunny, or worst hex his nuts off.

She simply stared at him as if a puzzle was connecting in her head, and once more her laugh bubbled from inside of her chest and spilled out of her lips. Now he was concerned, had she bumped her head and he hadn't noticed?

"I knew it!" He instantly became rigid, although he never moved his hand from the small of her back. "Excuse me?"  
"You've been watching me, for at least a month if not more. Why? Are you a teacher? Are you a student? Are you a death eater? No, you wouldn't have cared if a mudblood hurt herself"

Was this girl always this blunt? Did she always talk a mile a minute? His hand smacked over her mouth, his eyes flashing gold briefly in warning.

"Do not call yourself that."

The amusement left her eyes and a mild sweetness replaced it. She was curious, that was obvious but right now she seemed to be touched by the kindness in that statement.

Her hands reached up and gently peeled his from her face, taking a step back from him as she did so.  
She didn't know how to respond quite yet, so she took the opportunity to take the book from his grasp and she turned to go back to her desk. Remus stood still for a moment wondering if he should retreat back to the not very cloaking shadows or join her at the desk. 'Fuck it' he thought, walking towards the desk and sitting down with her.

"You don't look old enough to be a professor, however I've been learning that doesn't mean much. I've never seen you around but that also doesn't mean much, as there are a lot of students in this school. " She continued listing off the guesses of who he could be and reasons why they didn't make sense all the while her eyes never leaving their spot on the page.

Was she taking notes? How could she read, write and nag him for information all without missing a beat?

"Do you ever take a moment to breathe?"

she huffed, dismissing the question that obviously wasn't new to her.

"Fine, don't answer. Continue being as obvious as the bat symbol in the sky. Just so you are aware" she paused, finally moving her gaze to his "The next time you want to stalk somebody, you might want to be dependent on something other than the dark, it's about as effective as wearing a hat and thinking the world wouldn't notice."

Remus smiled, enjoying this feisty side of Hermione.

He didn't get her reference but he didn't mind, he understood her point. She might be fine with his lack of an answer now, having at some point decided he wasn't a threat but he was certain it was only a matter of time, if not hours until she would start her litany of questions once more.


	9. Chapter 9

**The End of Sixth Year, 2006 - Remus**

From that day on he no longer watched her from afar.

Although situations with the dark and the light were getting more tense, and it was obvious that they would soon have to fight he had to be grateful that by the grace of Merlin she had only turned seventeen in September. He knew she belonged to him, thanks to his wolfy other half but he knew that she was safe until she was nineteen. He needed her safe.

Their bond had grown stronger, there was no doubt about that.

Their bond began over books, and homework. She tried to trick him into admitting little facts about himself, which she soon learned was made easier when she bribed him with cookies. He would listen to her rant about how obtuse Ron was sometimes and he listened to her concerns over the effect on whatever was happening might be having on the Malfoy kid.

It was as if she was instantly comfortable around him, allowed to show the sides of her that she often felt were annoying around her other friends. She had no trouble being snotty, or bossy or vulnerable with him. She would often jump on his back while they walked the grounds, complaining of her feet hurting; he knew she just wanted to see how far she could push her limits with him.

After awhile they would meet at Hogsmeade, before the students were unable to venture off of the Hogwarts ground. He longed to sit down and have dinner with her, discuss their days, be unburdened with each other. He wanted to go to the beaches and have a bonfire with their friends, travel with her, watching her hair in the wind.

The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to be near her always. His wolf seemed to understand that he had to wait until she was of age for the soulmate bond, but he still made his wants known. His wolf wanted his mate.

These thoughts were on Remus's mind as he paced back and forth in his cabin. The full moon was close and it always caused him to become more anxious around her. He had tried to separate himself from her knowing she was going to leave soon, and the thought was making him mad. He was so deep into his thoughts he hadn't heard anyone walk up nor had he smelled them.

"Hello?" Her voice was quiet and soft but just as enchanting as the first day he heard it in Snape's office, and the library. His entire body went still- she was here.

He couldn't speak and involuntarily took a step back as the door pushed open slowly, as if she was unsure what she would be behind the door. "Remus?"

She was speaking to him, how did she know he was here?

He always met her, and he never left before she did.

Remus stood in place, unaware of what to do. There was no way in hell he was running away, but he had the urge to hide. He never imagined that she would be here, in his space, in the front room of his cottage; his very small, very run down cottage.

The building had been abandoned and as he spent little time there he had no interest in sprucing it up. Now he wished he had, what an awful first impression this was going to make. His insecurities and anxieties were starting to go into overdrive. He didn't know how to react, where to stand, where to put his hands. Bloody Hell he was behaving like a virgin teen. He had very little time to tell himself to grow a pair before she was here, in his home, in front of his face.

Fuck, she smelled delicious.

"Remus?"

Words, Remus. Use your words.

"Are you lost?" wow, way to come off as a jerk first thing, Lupin.

She laughed "One could ask you the same thing."

They stood there staring at each other both unwilling to move.

He finally decided to wolf up and he cleared his throat, making a wide gesture with his hands. "Welcome to my humble abode"

She laughed, as she often did while in his presence. Her gaze absorbed the details of the room around her. It was livable, but not well kept. It was obvious that whoever lived here long before didn't believe in cleaning. "I got tired of waiting for you to invite me."

Now it was his turn to laugh, "How did you know I stayed here?"

"I'm obviously better with stealth than you are."

"Obviously."

He had been so caught up in his instant worry that he hadn't noticed the basket in her hand. "Did you crash my home to invite me for a ...picnic?"

She became nervous, her eyes downcast and a pretty blush adorning her cheeks. Well now, this was a turn of events. He never witnessed his Gryffindor blush before.  
"'Mione?"

Still looking down she answered, "I-I'm leaving soon, you know. I'll be at the burrow in the summer and from then.." she trailed off, both of them knowing how dangerous things were getting, how quickly plans can change. "I just wanted…" She trailed off, before gathering her courage and looking at him.

"I've always wanted to have dinner with you. Spend time together, without worry."

It was as if she read his mind, his desires. Merlin, he hoped she couldn't read his other desires as it would've been his turn to blush.

"You're cooking me dinner?"  
"Ah, no I'm a terrible cook. I went to the kitchens and brought us dinner."  
"You had the house elves cook?"  
She gasped in mock horror "Absolutely not."  
"So you stole food from the elves?"  
Hermione frowned as realisation dawned on her, gently worrying her bottom lip between her teeth

"Well, no. It's not stealing as they were preparing food for the students dinner. I was simply taking my portion and yours to enjoy elsewhere."

He laughed at her logic, reaching over to take the basket and bring it into his kitchen "Whatever you say, Hermione."

The night moved smoothly, he had found some candles, casted a quick scourgify on his kitchen table and the surrounding surfaces and laid out some plates. They enjoyed their meal in peace, light banter filling the space between them. This was easy, enjoying each other's company. Hermione was convinced that there was something more than friendship between them, but was hesitant to speak up, not wanting to break this spell between them.

"Let's play a game."

They had moved to his bed, as he did not have a couch. His back was against the wall, and hers was at the head of his bed. Her feet were in his lap and Remus was currently counting to ten with the need to fight the urge to touch her failing miserably. "What kind of game?" His eyes were closed but he could tell by the sound of her voice that she was wearing a smirk.

"I'll tell you a secret if you tell me yours."

"That's not a game, kitten."

"Come on Remus, I'm serious. I know a lot of things about you but I can tell you keep a lot to yourself. You disappear randomly and you look like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders"

"I could say the same for you."

Hermione huffed stubbornly having decided she wasn't going to get anywhere. Pausing for a moment she tried again, "How about we guess each other's secret?"

He peaked one eye opened and looked her way, "You're going to guess mine?"

"Yes. Well, no. It's not a guess truly if I know my answer is correct."

He laughed at her confidence. "Go ahead kitten, guess."

Hermione took a deep breath as if gathering courage but then sat up straight, leaning towards him. The movement of her legs from his caused him to open both eyes and focus his attention on her.

"When did you become infected with lycanthropy?"

He snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he listened to her question, his instincts telling him to get defensive. This is Hermione, he reminded himself. Her face was sincere, nothing but curiosity and worry etched onto her features. There was no malice in her voice and her body language still indicated that she felt safe. He couldn't will himself to speak however, taking a moment to quiet his thoughts.

"Don't worry, I haven't told anyone." Her voice was low and her fingertips had started twisting the lock of hair between them, a nervous habit he noticed she had developed.

"I figured it out a couple of months ago, the first time I jumped on your back. Your shirt dipped a little bit and I noticed the scar on your shoulder blade. At first I thought it was a childhood scrape but then I noticed it looked similar to a bite. I swore I saw a bite similar to that in a text, so I went to the library and researched it."

Remus frowned, he hadn't seen her research anything with information on werewolves.

"I placed a charm on the text so you wouldn't see" she stated, answering his unspoken question.

"I was six." He didn't bother arguing with her, or try to convince her that he was something he wasn't. He was planning on spending his life with her, so she would know eventually. He just wasn't planning on telling her this soon, he was afraid that she would reject him. He should've realised, he thought, that this kind hearted girl who fought to right the injustices of those viewed beneath her would never mistreat him for who he was.

She didn't say anything, instead opting to scoot closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Now you guess mine." She wasn't going to push for more information, she had already decided she would spend a lifetime hearing his stories, soulmate be damned.

A laugh escaped him and he placed a quick kiss on the top of her forehead. He would never get enough of this, how easy it was to be with her.

"You're actually descendant of a pureblood family and your secretly Sirius's cousin?" He meant it as a joke, not really holding any weight in his words but she remained quiet. So quiet he was nervous he had actually guessed correctly. "Um, I was just kidd-"

"I'm in love with you."


	10. Chapter 10

**The End of Sixth Year, 2006**

It had been a long day and the dark mark on his arm was throbbing. Severus had just reached for his scotch when a knock thudded on his door.

Severus groaned, planning on ignoring the sound. It was probably a student trying to ask a question and he did not have the patience for that at the moment.

"Severus!" He paused with his glass to his lips. Without hesitating he waved his wand, the locks coming undone from the door. His friend strode through the door with a worried expression covering his face. Remus's hair was sticking out in patches like he had been running his hands through his hair. His clothes were disheveled and looked as if he had rushed to button them.

"Did you just have sex?" His friend stopped walking abruptly, looking at Severus as if he had multiple heads.

"I wish." Remus stated, sighing before he walked to the same chair he had been seated in when he first caught whiff of Hermione. "That would just make this harder."

Severus was quiet as he watched his friend, slightly concerned that he had gone mad.

"Make what harder? Your descent into madness?"

A hollow laugh escaped Remus's mouth, "I made that descent the moment Hermione Granger walked into my life."

Ah, it was starting to make sense.

"I know you can't disclose much, Severus. I just need to know.. How bad."

Snape was silent, the silence more thoughtful than poignant. "She'll be hunted, Remus."

A growl escaped Remus as he hung his head.

"The war's not ending anytime soon."

The statement held truth to it, although the hope was he was wrong. One never knew how long a war could take to end. It could be years, or days. If Voldemort won, it would be longer; Hermione would never be safe.

Remus felt the tap of a cool glass being pressed against his hand, and he automatically wrapped his hand against the glass, realising Snape had poured him some whisky.

Severus walked away and went to stand at the bookshelves lining his walls. "What is the point of this Remus?"

"She will turn eighteen in September." a breath he was holding released as he spoke, "If the war isn't over within the year, she'll turn nineteen. She'll know without a doubt that she belongs to me, that I belong to her."

"She could die, then." Remus nodded and although Snape still had his back towards his friend, he knew the answer was correct.

"So you need to stay away from her." Snape answered bluntly, a feeling of protectiveness for the young girl flashing inside of him.

"I love her, Severus" His friend turned to him quickly, his eyes turning towards him with anger.

"If you love her, Remus you will protect her."

"I am trying, damnit!" Remus growled at his friend, anger coursing through his veins.

The anger Remus was expressing towards Severus did little to deter him. He knew how he felt, he could imagine the pain he and helplessness his friend felt.

"Does the girl love you?"

"She does"

"Then she will never leave you."

"I know."

Severus went back to his desk and calmly sat in his seat as he spoke, "You came to me for help."

It wasn't a question, the look of desperation was clear on his friends' features.

"That potion you were working on, to help you when you lost lilly. The memory potion."

Severus nodded once, understanding which potion he was working on. He hadn't perfected it, as it was only temporary. After a while he lost the desire to get rid of his memories, and thus he lost the desire to complete the potion.

"I have it but it requires an ingredient to complete it, as well as two nights to brew."

"What do you need?"

"Remus, you have to understand, this won't fix her pull towards you or the fact that you are both mates. She will just not remember you."

Remus nodded in agreement. His heart was breaking, but he needed her safe. He didn't want her to forget him, or them. "Do you need hair? Blood? Memories?"

Severus sighed and stood, reaching into a drawer of his desk and pulling out a blade.

"Blood will do, blood shed by a silver blade. You won't die, you know you'll probably just have a headache. We will seal the cut with dittany, like your bite was. You'll have it forever."

Remus turned his hand over, palm upwards as he extended his arm towards his friend  
"Take what you need."


	11. Chapter 11

**The End of Sixth Year, 2006 **

Remus stood under the whomping willow, waiting for Hermione to meet him. She had owled him earlier last night asking to see him, having intended to head to the burrow shortly after. The potion vial was in his hand, and the idea of tricking her was causing his stomach to turn.

Remus rolled the vial between his fingers, causing the liquid to warm as Severus had instructed two nights before. Severus had explained everything to him meticulously, wanting to ensure that Remus knew what he was getting himself into. It relieved him to know that the memory loss caused by the potion would be temporary, but he was sure that she wouldn't stand him after she remembered.

She was beautiful, he thought as she started walking up the hill towards the tree. She was wearing a pair of muggle jeans, and a white top. Her only accessory was the wild hair she had stopped trying to tame years ago. The simplicity of the outfit caused him to smile, as it fit her personality perfectly.

"You look sad" she mentioned to him when she saw him. He gave her a timid smile, plucking a stray curl of hers and twirled it around his finger.

"I'm just going to miss you."

The comment made her smile brightly, his words music to her ears, but it didn't explain the depth of sadness that was written on his features, or the worry that accompanied it.

The vision of Remus at this moment did not match the view of their surroundings, Hermione surmised. However the scenery outside was the opposite of how Remus felt it should be. The sun was shining brightly, and the air was crisp with the hint of heat that would come with the summer. The sky should be dark, the thunder rumbling around them as he contemplated his actions. The Gods should be angry with him, as angry as he is with the Gods for putting him in this situation. Oden himself should strike him down with lightning at the mere thought of leaving her. Alas, this wasn't fiction nor was this a Norse tale like the one's his mum would read him when he was young. This was his life and this was Hermione's life.

They would have to make due with the cards given to them.

"Just talk to me" she asked him, her own hand reaching up to take his, her fingertips touching the vial.

"There's going to be a war, Hermione." Remus knew he was being redundant, but he couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his senses, she could not afford to have him change his mind.

The sweetness of her voice was enough to bring him to his knees. "I know."

"I won't be able to see you until it's over, 'kitten."

What? That was absurd she thought, shaking her head in disagreement with his statement. "No."

"You don't understand me Hermione. It's not a choice."

"No." she repeated, her stubbornness showing its head while she tried to think of an argument to present to him. "That doesn't make sense. We are fighting for the same outcome."

It was not a secret to her that he was on the order as she had known for a while. With her at the burrow for the summer they wouldn't be able to avoid each other.

"Hermione, you wanted me to guess your secret the other night?"

She looked at him, confusion and tears brimming her eyes. Why was he bringing this up now?

"I told you, I love you."

He disagreed with her, letting his hand drop from her hair. "No, Hermione."

"That was my only secret, Remus."

"It's a secret you yourself are unaware of. One that only I know."

She peered up at him, focusing her attention on his words. She hoped that his words would heal this heartbreak she was feeling, "You are my mate."

"Excuse me?"

"My soul mate, my wolf mate, my mate."

She began to laugh, confusion etched on her features. "That would be lovely Remus but we won't know that for a year or two."

"I know." he rebutted, the seriousness of his tone causing an odd sensation to settle into the pit of her stomach. "With the lycan gene comes a bit of a loophole to the soulmate trait."

Hermione had taken a step back as he spoke, needing to take a seat on a patch of grass next to him. "What exactly is the loophole?"

Remus moved to sit next to her, stretching his legs out in front of him. "With the added benefit of aging slowly, I know who my mate is almost instantly, before you are of age."

"What do you mean, aging slowly?"

"There is something specific about the lycan gene that causes us to age at a slower rate. Where the soulmate bond causes you to stop aging until you meet your mate, leaving you unable to die before you do, the lycan gene doesn't allow you to become invincible, you will just progress slower."

"So you'll stay handsome as ever while I'm an old woman?" she asked, thinking there wasn't anything fair about that. She was not going to disagree with Remus that she was his mate. She felt it, somewhere in her magic, in her bones she knew he was hers.

Remus was laughing, "No. The mate of a werewolf will adapt to the wolf's aging process, so you can grow old together."

The studious side of her brain began working overtime, choosing to focus on the new information she was hearing instead of the blooming ache in her chest.

"Will the mate inherit any other traits, such as the ability to turn?"

He shook his head, "Not that I'm aware of. Only if they are infected with the gene themselves." A pregnant silence sat between the two, a stark difference from the easy playfulness they had grown used to.

"So what does this mean?" Her voice was small and fragile, "If I'm your mate is that not a good thing?" She turned her face towards his "Should I not be with you?"

Remus looked down at the vial in his hand, taking a deep breath as he decided to come clean with her. He wouldn't make this decision without her, he couldn't take her free will away. "We don't know how long the war will take to end."

"Exactly, you're proposing that we waste years apart from each other."

Remus turned to face her, never breaking eye contact "You're not understanding, 'Mione."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, she didn't like being told she didn't understand something and he has now implied that statement twice "You don't know how long this war will take. You are seventeen, your eighteenth birthday is months away. You will turn nineteen before you know it."

"Okaaay" she answered slowly, following along with his explanation.

"When you turn nineteen, if I am around we will be recognised as mates. If someone aims a killing curse at you it won't be a little sting, it will take your life."

It clicked in Hermione's mind what he was telling her, but she still didn't agree. "I am willing to take that risk. I don't want to be without you."

Remus stood up, losing his patience with her stubbornness "I'm not!" he yelled, turning to face her once more "Do you not understand Hermione? I am in love with you. You are mine" as he spoke, his eyes began to turn a shade of gold that Hermione had begun to recognise were the eyes of his wolf.

"I refuse to put you in a position where you could die. I hate that you are risking your neck to follow Harry and Ron to begin with." Her mouth opened to protest but he held his hand up, silencing her.

"I understand that you need to go. I'm not arguing with you about that, but if you think that you being somewhere where I cannot protect you doesn't almost kill me when I imagine you in that position? You are not using your intellect."

Hermione huffed in anger, rising to her feet; but as she took in his look of defeat and his words sank in she deflated, looking as exhausted as her emotions felt. "I won't be able to be far from you, knowing I'm your mate and you are mine. I can't."

A single tear slid onto Hermione's cheek and Remus walked over to swipe the offending moisture away with his thumb. "I know… I know." He was quiet as he took a short moment to memorise the features of her face "I have a suggestion."

Hermione's brow raised in question and Remus answered "Severus created a potion, a memory potion." A what?! Alarm was written across her features but she stayed quiet, allowing him to explain.

"It will not last forever, however I am unaware of how long it will last. It could take years." As she took a moment to gather her thoughts and digest the information he was giving her, Remus felt as if time was standing still.

After what felt like minutes which was actually the span of a few seconds, she looked up at him."This does not mean I am agreeing" Hermione began, "but for curiosity sake what is special about this potion, will I forget my entire life?"

"No, this has my blood in it. You will remember everything up to today,-" as he paused, Hermione knew he was debating on what to say next, "-Everything that you have experienced just.. without me in it."

Hermione shook her head in protest, not trusting her voice to answer.

Remus placed the vial in her hand and closed her fist around it. "Consider it Hermione. I will never be far from you, but I cannot lose you. I will not put you in danger. We will win this war and I will find you." Her tears began to flow more freely, and she bit her lip to stop the onslaught.

She wiped her tears away and lifted her head, standing up tall "Promise me that this is temporary, and that I will remember you, that you will return to me."

Remus leaned down and grasped her chin, lifting her lips towards his. His lips lowered to hers and he kissed her slowly, trying to savour the feel of her lips, memorise the taste of her kiss.

"I promise, you will remember me, you will remember us, and I will be there. I promise to allow you to live a life that is safe." she nodded, her forehead having rested against his once he pulled away.

"Okay." Her voice was so light that Remus was sure without the wolf helping him hear he wouldn't have caught it.

"Okay?" He parroted back, pulling away to look at her.

"I'll take it."


	12. Chapter 12

**Present Day**

Hermione had finished reading her book, the subject enthralling her to the point where she could not put it down. Once her gaze raised to the windows around her, she realised how late it was. Hastily placing money on the table she headed towards the front door, intending to make her way towards the apparation point. She was beginning to get a headache, as if someone was poking her brain repeatedly. She really needed to look into getting glasses, she thought, as it was only natural she would need them with how often she read by candlelight. When she reached the door she hesitated only slightly, having heard a voice she only heard in her sleep. She looked around the room, not recognising anyone before she finally left.

Hermione arrived at home, the time on her clock reading 8:00 pm. It was still early, but later than she had planned to stay at the bar. Crookshanks meowed at her as she placed her bags down, indicating it was past his dinner time. Once he was fed and she was showered she realised herself she hadn't eaten. She was hungry, but her headache had progressively gotten worse and because of this she decided she would lay down instead.

As she slept, her dreams were filled with images.

Images of a man who looked eerily similar to her bartender.

Everything was the same, he was only missing a few inches of hair and he was cleanly shaven. The images felt familiar, as if she had lived them and they were memories instead of dreams. Memories of a man she felt watching her, but she was not afraid of. Memories of laughter, conversations and daydreams of his lips on hers. Memories of his lips on hers, finally after months of wanting to kiss him.

That memory was bittersweet as it also came with his confession of a plan.

A plan!

Hermione sat up quickly, sweat dripping from her as she connected the dots. Her vision swam together as a result of moving so fast, and she rubbed her temples trying to ease the ache.

Her memory was back.

A grin broke along her lips and she resisted the urge to apparate directly to him as she needed a moment to collect her thoughts. She also needed another shower, looking down at her sweat soaked pajamas. Ick, she thought.

While she was in her shower she started to come up with a plan, wondering if she should speak to him on a day he wasn't working, or if she should try to force his hand and cause him to speak to her directly, to look at her.

She frowned.

The bartender felt like him and looked like him. She had simply never seen him with a beard… or long hair. Hermione shook her head.

'No,' she thought, 'that was him I would know him anywhere.'

After finishing her shower Hermione spelled her hair dry, and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She wasn't going to wait anymore, she was going to have to show up. She glanced at the clock, noting that the time was 12:00am. The bar would close in an hour.

"Wish me luck Crooks" she yelled behind her as she walked out of her front door, in such haste that she almost forgot to lock the door behind her. _Almost_.

The bar was empty as the last of the drunken patrons left for the night.

Remus sighed, this work kept him busy but he missed Hermione once he was alone.

He ran his rag across the bar top finishing the last of the clean up, his thoughts elsewhere when he heard a slam of the door.

Like that night at his cottage he hadn't heard her arrive but her scent, it was intoxicating. She smelled clean and fresh, but the smell of old books still wafted off of her as if it would forever be imprinted on her skin.

'What was she doing here? Is she drunk? Is she with someone?' The scenarios of why she would be at his bar in the dead of night was worrying, but he wouldn't look at her. Not with her attention on him so studiously, he would not give himself hope.

"We're closed" He mentioned, wincing at his harsh tone.

He heard her clear her throat before she walked towards him, sliding a bar stool out from the bar. "I'm sorry, I come here all the time but I've never introduced myself, my name is Hermione."

Remus nodded once, turning so his back was towards her, grabbing another glass to appear busy. "I recognised you."

"You did?" Her tone was a little higher than normal, as if it was laced with excitement.

That was curious, Remus thought.

"From the papers." He didn't have to be looking at her to know that his response deflated her slightly.

"Yes. Well," she cleared her throat, "I believe I left something here earlier, would it be okay if I looked for it?"

Remus nodded, waving his hand nonchalantly as she walked away.

His mind was reeling.

She left something? She left nothing, he always made sure he was the one to clean her area once she left, hoping she would leave something, anything to remember her by.

"You know, you remind me of someone." she stated from her spot across the bar.

Remus shrugged his shoulders, continuing with his busy work. "It's my job to feel familiar to guests."

"I think it's a bit more than that" Her voice was dreamy, as it often would be when she was teasing him. What was she playing at?

"May I ask you a question, Sir?"

Sir? That was new, his cock twitched at the sound slipping from her lips. The sentiment made his mind wonder where she had picked that little quirk up.

He wasn't naive. He was fully aware that she would likely find comfort in someone else once he made the decision to keep his distance. The thought of someone else touching her drove him mad.

The idea of her calling them Sir? Exercising submission towards someone who wasn't her mate? It caused him to release a low growl.

Her laugh was all that he heard in response, causing him to look up sharply.

"Do you find something funny, kitten?" He grimaced at the use of his old nickname for her, kicking himself for letting that slip. Damnit Remus she's going to think you're some kind of pervert, going around giving pet names so easily.

"Kitten?" She laughed, her voice continuing on with the playful lift "Are you always this flirtatious with your bar guests?"

Remus cleared his throat, this game of hers was getting a bit tiresome. He was trying to keep his distance from her and here she was being so damn seductive it was tormenting him.

"What was your question?" He asked, changing the subject so he could answer her question and she would leave. Preferably soon, or else he would be locking up the bar with her in it, and she would be upstairs in his bed so he could remind her who her mate was.

Hermione's memory was fresh having just returned and the knowledge of how hard it was to get information out of him was something she was using to her advantage.

After she graduated she had gone through interrogation training before she decided to follow her true love of books and became a book conservator. She never understood why she had the urge to study inquisition back then, never having had the stomach for tourture or manipulative techniques.

With her memories back and with them, the frustration of Remus never having answered her questions also returned and she was glad she could put her skills to use. Armed with a smirk and her knowledge, she went to work.

"What do you look like without a beard?" She had walked back towards the bar and was leaning over the counter, her eyes watching him steadily as she asked her question.

"Are you always this invasive to strangers?" Remus asked her, answering her question with a question. She was up to something, he knew but he was not sure what it was. She didn't have her memory back, he was sure of it.

"Yes." She answered him, shrugging. He already knew her, there was no reason for her to hide her flaws, or in her opinion her assets.

She had planned on continuing their tit for tat she had begun, but was interrupted by the growling of her stomach.

'Oh.'

She was so hung up on needing to speak with Remus that she had forgotten she was hungry. Now that her body was reminding her, she realised she was famished. Her stomach growling was answered by Remus's laugh. He had finally decided to turn his body to face her, her eyes greedily taking in his appearance and how he had changed as he waved his wand and produced a sandwich.

Remus slid the plate down the bar to her wordlessly, having heard the sounds her stomach had made. From their history he knew that when she was enthralled with a new book, as she had been earlier that day, she usually forgot to eat. It was no surprise that her body was yelling at her.

"Thank you" she muttered as she slid up onto the barstool, wasting no time in eating the sandwich he so kindly provided to her. As she bit into the sandwich a low moan tumbled from her lips, once again the sounds she made causing his cock to twitch at the melody.

Remus took this opportunity to begin to lock up, realising she wasn't going to leave in the next few minutes and not wanting more unexpected guests to arrive.

Once the lights were down low and doors sealed shut, he walked over to where Hermione was. A small portkey was slid down the bar towards her and she raised an eyebrow towards him in question

"S'what this?" she asked, her mouth still full of sandwich.

Inwardly, Hermione was groaning at how uncouth she was behaving but fuck, this sandwich was delicious.

"A portkey, to the apparation point. I'm going upstairs for the night and I don't fancy wanting to walk back down here and unlock the doors for you to leave. It's single use, so you don't have to worry about returning it."

As he spoke her confusion never left her face, "Don't worry" he began to answer the unspoken question "I trust you're not going to rob the place."

She muttered a quiet 'Thank You' before she watched his back move away from her and up the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

**-nsfw-**

Hermione had just finished vanishing the plates once she was done eating when she heard the sound of a shower. It was now or never, she thought to herself as she pushed away from the bar, portkey in her back pocket in case this idea of hers went sideways.

"You're a Gryffindor for a reason Hermione, you didn't choose to be sneaky or smart, you chose to be brave." Her little pep talk to herself made her smile but did little to calm the riot of nerves in her stomach.

"Be brave" she repeated, shaking her curls out once and heading up the stairs.

The door was ajar, as if some part of him wanted her to walk inside.

Her memory of the war warned her that this could be a trap, but despite her inward warning, she continued on her quest. His apartment was small, but was in much better shape from the cabin in the woods.

The walls were similar with exposed stone and brick, and the floors were the same hardwood but instead of tapestries the walls were adorned with book shelves. There was a photo of Severus Snape on his coffee table and what?

Hermione quickly walked towards the photo, picking it up and bringing it towards her to get a better look. Was that Luna? Next to Severus? Wearing a wedding dress?!

Holy hell she didn't expect that. The thought of them together made sense though she surmised as she placed the photo back to its spot on the table. If she remembered correctly, Luna's quirkiness and light personality would certainly complement Severus's curious and snarky one. Hermione was happy he had found his partner and was somewhere safe.

Now, where was she?

Her head turned and she listened for the sound of the shower, her mind no longer distracted from her goal.

The nervousness she felt started slowly disappearing as she pushed open the bathroom door. She felt the steam hit her face before she noticed the shower door slightly askew.

The water was running, and the room was warm but no one was there. Confused, she turned looking around to where he could be.

"You followed me?" His voice was rough and focused, as if he was hunting.

She still couldn't see him, but she could hear him. "I wanted to tell you thank you."

"Is that it?"

Where was he? Her head whipped in every direction trying to find him. He sounded so close, but also far like an echo.

An emotionless laugh tumbled from his lips causing a shiver to flow down her spine.  
"What else could it be?" she acted innocent, wanting to be able to look at him before she admitted anything.

"Why do you insist on tormenting me?" the sadness in his voice almost broke her.

She never realised when she took the potion that something inside of her would still be drawn to him. No matter where she went the universe made sure that she would never be too far from him, with or without her memories.

"This ache" she started saying, her eyes closing as she tried to find words to describe it, "I've been hollow for as long as I can remember." she paused, "When I was hunting horcruxes with Harry and Ron, when we were burying Fred, when I graduated, when I started my new job…. when I spent the night with someone else." Her magic fizzled and snapped against her skin as she spoke, Remus's magic pulsing towards her with anger and pain as she mentioned her life without him. "I had this ache that could never be filled."

Remus remained silent as he listened, having had walked up behind her so she was close enough to touch, all he had to do was reach for her.

"I _missed_ you, and I didn't know you." her voice was breaking as she spoke, shaking with her determination to get her emotions across, to convey how much loss she had felt although she had no explanation for it.

He trailed his hand lightly over her bicep, leaving a trail of fire in its path. He stopped at her forearm to grip it gently and she could feel the heat of his body radiating behind her. She resisted the urge to meld against him, and focused on his touch that she hadn't felt in such a long time.

"Do you think I didn't miss you?" He whispered, his lips grazing the tip of her ear as he spoke, "Do you think that I didn't repeat every conversation we ever had in my mind, in my dreams?" His grip on her arms grew tighter, pulling her flush against his chest.

She could feel the heat rolling off of his naked skin, the temperature permeating through the fabric of her shirt. "That I didn't dream of the taste of you, every night?"

Hermione whimpered at his words, feeling a small bit of guilt having lived without him for so long. She had a reason to make the choices she had, having not remembered him. However, her heart was breaking for the man behind her who had to go through his life without her for years, with his memory intact.

He spoke, quieting the fear that was in the back of her subconscious and his voice gave her comfort, "I would make the same choice Hermione, I would still keep you safe."

Relief filled her as he spoke and she finally relaxed into his hold.

"Remus" his name was a whisper on her lips and it was his turn to feel relief as she finally answered his fear, confirming that this was her.

He had never spoken his name to anyone in the bar, always using a different alias to make sure that when the potion wore off he would know for sure if it was her; she had her memory back.

Her head lolled back against his shoulder, peering up at Remus through her lashes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Want to play a game?"

Her question was quick and playful, having parroted the same question she asked him that night in sixth year. Her fingers reached behind her towards the back of Remus's head with the intent to scratch the back of his scalp, and as they moved so did the hem of her shirt.

With the newly exposed skin Remus slid his hands from her arms to her hips. Up and under, he pulled the offending fabric of her head and onto the floor.

"You want to play a game, kitten?" She hummed in agreement, turning in his hold to face him "What did you have in mind?" His voice was husky and the thrill it incited in her caused goosebumps to arise on her skin.

As she took a step back she reached behind her to unsnap her bra in a single move.

"What about a game of catch?"

While telling him her suggestion Hermione took this opportunity to trace her eyes up his body until she finally made eye contact with him. His ivy colored irises had turned full golden, the most of his wolf being in control she had ever seen.

Remus's pupils were blown, causing him to look drunk with desire. He had obviously been about to step into the shower as the only thing he was wearing was his boxers.

He looked fucking edible.

"Is that what you want? You want me to hunt you?" He asked with a growl, stalking towards her slowly. Predatory vibes were rolling off of him in waves, making her involuntarily take a few steps backwards.

He kept moving towards her until she stepped into the shower, the spray of the water breaking her out of her trance

"Oy, fuck." she mentioned, she hadn't expected that.

"Don't lose your focus, 'Mione" His tone was teasing, having lost a bit of the edge it once held.

"I'll never lose focus on you, Remus. Not again."

Her back was firm against the cold tile, both of them now in the shower. Hermione moved her hands to his hips, gripping his now wet body, pulling him closer to her. She greedily soaked up the image of his wet skin until her vision became dark, her eyes having closed the moment she felt Remus's lips on her own.

Fuck, he had missed this. He had dreamed of this moment, kissing her, for years. Sure, he also dreamed of fucking her over the bartop and waking up to her on a sleepy Sunday morning but this? The soft plump flesh of her lips, the sweet taste of her toothpaste and something distinctly Hermione, was what he desired most.

The moan that escaped his lips as he relished the taste of her caused Hermione to tighten her grip on him. She would never get over this moment, his kiss felt as perfect to her now as it did when she was sixteen. Ron had taken bits of her loneliness away, but he would never compare to Remus. His touch, his voice, the simple smell of him made her feel at home instantly.

Was this how Pansy felt? How Lavender did?

She would never regret following through with her instincts to trust him with keeping her safe in the only way he knew how but she was forever grateful to receive her memory back now.

She would never waste another moment without him.

Could she just stay in the shower, in his home, in his bed for the rest of time? Crookshanks would figure out how to feed himself, her position at work would be covered, and Remus had staff that could fill in for him surely? None of these were logical of course, but it didn't stop her from wishing it at this moment.

"Stop thinking" Remus mumbled as he pulled away from her, moving his lips to the side of her neck, kissing the skin that she had offered to him.

She stretched her neck upwards and to the side so he could get better access, mewing at his efforts. His other hand found its way down her torso, moving southeast towards her middle until his fingers slid underneath the small piece of fabric on her hips.

Remus had bit her neck a bit when his fingers reached their destination, her wetness on his digits making him wonder how she would feel around his swollen member.

The feel of his calloused hands on her skin, on her clit, sent shockwaves up her nerves and she felt her adrenalin rising with every push and pull of his movements. She was mumbling incoherently, not even realising that her hips had started grinding into him on their own volition, trying to increase the delicious friction of his hand, her body begging him to let her cum. She just needed something more, something harder.

As if reading her mind, his other hand gripped the fabric of her panties, snapping the fabric with a sharp tug. The fabric bit into her skin before it fell down her body and the quick pain it caused was enough to send her over the edge. She twisted her head towards his neck, biting into his skin with her teeth as she came.

The sound of water hitting tiles and his laughter filled her consciousness as she recovered from her orgasm.

Raising one eyebrow in his direction, she smirked "what's so funny, Lupin?"

"You trying to mark me kitten?"

She blushed, having not realised she bit him but as she thought about it, she shrugged.

Hermione didn't care if he was her other half as deemed by soulmate magic or his wolf bond, having a mark that she made on his skin was a delicious idea to her.

"Maybe."

Her simple answer did little to cease his laughter, but Remus shook his head in response and went to reach for the shampoo.

They had been in the shower long enough and he might as well get them both clean so he could properly ravish her in his bed.


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

Hermione's fingertips traced his stubble which was already starting to grow back from when he shaved the night before. She was staring at him like it was the first time she saw him.

It wasn't and it would not be the last time she did but he was sure she would always look at him this way; as if she was studying him and committing him to memory.

He would catch her looking in his direction sometimes at the bar, with this same expression on her face.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her, his hand mimicking her movements on his face, on the small of her back.

'Mmm' she hummed lazily

'I have everything at my fingertips' she quoted to him, her mind still not focusing on what he was saying to her.

An eyebrow quirked in question towards her and her smile grew brighter, 'A song that I love, a muggle song that I love' she corrected

'It's the damnedest thing, the song never fully made sense to me and now I feel as if every word was written about you and this moment, what you mean to me."

He laughed lightly, kissing the top of her forehead "you should play this song for me one day."

She didn't answer, not verbally; she simply reached down and took his hands into hers, bringing it towards her face, palm up.

She lightly kissed his scar, remembering their shared sacrifice for each other.

She would happily do what he wished.

She would show him all of the songs, passages, and artwork that seemed to capture everything he made her feel.

All of the pieces that she had been drawn towards; the universe seeming to know that she needed them and they would all make sense to her and them one day.

Remus was after all, the mate to her soul and Hermione would spend the rest of her days showing him how thankful she was for that gift.

**xx**

**AN: & Its the end! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing!**

**Have a great day!**


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